America's PrepareAthon!

CNCS is joining our partners at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to lead the America’s PrepareAthon! campaign to increase emergency preparedness and resilience through hazard-specific drills, group discussions, and other emergency exercises.

The PrepareAthon! will provide individuals, communities, and organizations with action-based guidance to practice the steps necessary to stay safe during a disaster or emergency; learn about mitigation measures; and understand community plans, including alerts and warnings, evacuation, and sheltering.

Getting Ready Before Disaster Strikes

Most of us think of our first responders when disasters happen, but there are many things everyone can do to prepare for these events before they occur.

Make a Plan – Visit FEMA’s Ready.gov site and find out how to make a family emergency plan before an emergency occurs. Make sure that the family has a designated gathering point where they meet in case of emergency and that everyone has access to a list of cell phone, work, or school numbers to contact other members away from home.

Power Up -- Keep a stock of flashlights with fresh batteries in the event of a power failure. Battery-powered chargers can come in handy for cell phones to keep the lines of communication open in an emergency. And if you have a backup power generator, make sure it is serviced regularly so it will be ready when you need it.

Stay Informed – Have a battery-powered radio handy to get news alerts when the power goes out. Smartphone users can also download radio apps to keep abreast of local news. FEMA has a great list of resources with hints on how you can use your tech to stay informed in an emergency.

Stock Up –Make your own disaster supplies kit that will keep your family set for a few days in the event of an emergency. Visit Ready.gov to find a list of items you will need to make a kit.

The Corporation for National and Community Service has toolkits that can help you or your community with disaster preparedness. Follow the links below and learn more about how you can increase readiness in your community.